On the ride up to the Liner in the lander, they sat her next to a ten-foot-tall being with vaguely reptilian features that smelled like strawberries. She wondered if it was a natural scent or some sort of perfume, but decided there was no way to politely ask an alien, “Why do you smell like that?”

He was very polite. He had enjoyed visiting earth, apparently. A lot of good food, and he loved the very tall buildings. He wanted to know where she was going. “Gwolb? No, no, go not Gwolb. Live underground, the Gwolbang. No tall buildings. Boring.”

They came down on sand flats between the village and the sea, careful to avoid the primitive wood-and-vine boats lined up near the water’s edge. They lowered the ramp, and Grayson, in his full environment suit, carrying a scanner, was the first out of the airlock.

He was staring out the cab window when she spoke, didn’t turn to look before answering. “There’s a rule I have whenever we go out. Whether it’s everybody or just us or whatever. I see how you look, and then when we’re at the club, I find a girl hotter than you and that’s the girl I hit on.”

She laughed. “You never hit on any girls when we’re out.”

“This is what I’m saying.”

The car ride continued in silence. Eventually she said, “I’m going to have to start dressing down so you’ll get laid.”